Spy Kids

Spy Kids is a double-whammy of a pace change. Mayhem-maven Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Till Dawn, The Faculty) takes a break from the dark side to create a kids’ flick that actually is “fun for all ages,” a piece of work that is smart enough to entertain both the kids and adults without pandering to either. When their supposedly “retired” secret-agent parents disappear during the course of a special assignment, two siblings are forced to learn the family business on the fly as they stage the rescue of the folks from a Willie Wonka-styled kiddie show host bent on world domination … bwa-ha-ha-ha. Coming across at times like James Bond as if viewed through the skewed vision of early Tim Burton, Rodriguez’ trademark hyperkinetic eye candy works well with this kind of material, making for a family-friendly romp that recalls the days when filmmakers gave kids credit enough to savvy a good yarn without resorting on the equivalent of a small Central American country’s GNP worth of CGI effects to keep their attention.